Surgical appliance post clamp for surgical tables

Abstract

A clamp for securing a surgical appliance post to a rail mounted on the side of a surgical table which clamp may be placed over and on the rail at any desired location by providing the clamp body with a passageway transverse the body of the clamp and parallel to the rail, the passageway having a lip on one edge of a width about the dimension of the rail for engaging the backside of the rail, and the passageway having a width greater than the rail on the opposite edge. A clamping device such as a screw or cam is mounted on the outermost portion of the clamp and is arranged to engage and secure the post as well as bind the clamp body to the rail. Additionally, the clamping arrangement of one of the preferred embodiments provides a means by which an appliance post may be gripped at any chosen angle rather than limited to a fixed orientation.

1. A clamp for securing a post equipped surgical appliance to a rail attached to a surgical operating table comprising in combination:
 A. a one piece clamp body for engaging said rail, said body having a pair of opposed spaced apart upper and lower clamp jaws for gripping said rail, said jaws arranged in fixed in place relationship to each other said body having a uniform profile passageway transverse said body and positioned between said jaws for receiving said rail, said passageway having a first and second portion, said first portion bounded by:
 1. a first side comprising a lip substantially equal to the width of said rail; 
 2. a second side substantially perpendicular to said first side and substantially equal to the height of said rail; and 
 3. a third side opposite said first side having a portion substantially perpendicular to said second side; 
 said second portion communicating with said first portion for receiving said rail, said second portion disposed at the intersection of said second and third sides whereby said third side has a width greater than said rail to allow said clamp body to be placed over and against said rail from either longitudinal edge of said rail; 
 
 B. a first clamp member extending outwardly from and arranged to engage said clamp body, said first clamp member having a transverse port for receiving said post; 
 C. a second clamp member arranged to engage said first clamp member; 
 D. a third clamp member disposed between said first and second clamp members extending through said clamp body for engaging said rail, said third clamp member having a transverse port for receiving said post coincident with said first clamp member transverse port; and 
 E. means to draw said first and second clamp members together whereby said post is secured between said first and third clamp members and said third clamp member is secured against said rail. 
 
     
     
       2. A clamp for securing a post equipped surgical appliance to a rail attached to a surgical operating table comprising in combination:
 A. a one piece clamp body for engaging said rail, said body comprising a first rail gripping jaw, a second rail gripping jaw in spaced apart fixed in place relationship to said first jaw, and connecting means for attaching said jaws one to the other; said body having a uniform profile passageway transverse said body for receiving said rail, said passageway bounded by said jaws and said connecting means, said passageway having a first and second portion, said first portion defined by:
 1. a first side comprising a lip substantially equal to the width of said rail; 
 2. a second side substantially perpendicular to said first side and substantially equal to the height of said rail; and 
 3. a third side opposite said first side having a portion substantially perpendicular to said second side; 
 said second portion communicating with said first portion for receiving said rail, said second portion disposed at the intersection of said second and third sides whereby said third side has a width greater than said rail to allow said clamp body to be placed over and against said rail from either longitudinal edge of said rail; 
 
 B. a first clamp member extending outwardly from and arranged to engage said clamp body, said first clamp member having a transverse port for receiving said post; 
 C. a second clamp member arranged to engage said first clamp member; 
 D. a third clamp member disposed between said first and second clamp members extending through said clamp body for engaging said rail, said third clamp member having a transverse port for receiving said post coincident with said first clamp member transverse port; and 
 E. means to draw said first and second clamp members together whereby said post is secured between said first and third clamp members and said third clamp member is secured against said rail.